Case opening machine



March 19, 1963 D. MCINTYRE CASE OPENING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1961 INVENTOR DANIEL MCINTYRE ATTORNEYS D. M INTYRE CASE OPENING MACHINE March 19, 1963 5 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed July 27, 1961 D. MCINTYRE 3,081,589

CASE OPENING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 19, 1963 Filed July 27, 1961 March 19, 1963 D. MQINTYRE CASE OPENING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 27, 1961 FIG. 7

FIG. 8

March 19, 1963 D. MCINTYRE CASE OPENING MACHINE Filed July 27. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mwt hi ht This invention relates to a machine for opening cartons and, more particularly, to a machine that will open the top flaps of a carton of the type wherein the flaps are hinged at the longitudinal sides of the carton and which have inturned abutting edges in the closed condition. Cartons or cases of this kind are known as the Gaylord type.

The machine of this invention may be described generally as including an infeed conveyor which is driven in timed relationship with the main conveying means of the machine to introduce a succession of cases thereto in timed sequence. The said main conveying means then advances the cartons or cases longitudinally through the machine at a timed rate and in equally spaced apart relationship. After being engaged by the main conveyor, the cases advance continuously in a generally horizontal plane, and the mechanism for opening the top flaps is supported and operable on a frame structure over the conveyor means. The flap opening mechanism includes a carriage which is longitudinally reciprocable in the machine and this carriage is driven so that it will advance with each case being moved by the main conveyor.

The carriage supports a pair of arms which mount suction cups engageable with the respective flaps of each case, and the arms are pivotally mounted so that when they are pivoted, the flaps will be swung open. During opening movement, one of the flaps is lifted ahead of the other, and the means pivoting the arms to open the flaps includes a pair of longitudinal guide bars which engage the respective arms. The aforesaid guide bars or rails are pivotally supported at one end and they are pivoted by driven cam means whereby to pivot the arms. The

driven cam means and driven carriage are operated in timed relationship with each other so that the suction cups will engage the closed flaps of a case prior to, and in no event later than, the time the carriage and the case start to advance, and the timing is such that the cups will release the opened flaps just prior to return movement or" the carriage.

After the flaps of a case have been initially opened by the aforedescribed mechanism, they are engaged by plow bars which open them still farther.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a machine for opening cartons or cases during advance thereof on a conveyor.

The drawings show a preferred embodiment of the invention and such embodiment will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction disclosed, and that the drawings and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the machine of FIG. 1, taken generally as indicated by the line 3, 3 thereof, so as to provide an end view of the main conveyor and of the flap opening mechanism;

MG. 4 is a side elevational view of the infeed conveyor showing a case stop mechanism in position to halt advance of a case;

3,081,589 Patented Mar. 19, 1963 FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the infeed conveyor in position to pass an advancing case;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the case stop mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the flap opening mechanism with the flap opening carriage shown as it starts to advance with a moving case;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the carriage as it starts to return; and

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the flap opening mechanism shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

As will be observed in FIG. 1, the machine of this invention comprises generally an infeed section A and a flap opening section B. There is an infeed conveyor indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 in the infeed section, and there is a transfer conveyor indicated generally by the reference numeral 12 which moves each of a succession of cases from the infeed conveyor 10 into position for engagement and further advance by a main conveyor indicated generally by the reference numeral 14. The said main conveyor is of the chain and flight bar type and it moves the succession of cases along a scuif plate 16 in the case opening section B. During such movement or advance of the cases, the flap opening mechanism which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 18 operates in timed relationship with the advance of the cases to open the flaps thereof. Each of these mechanisms will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The Drive Structure for the Machine All of the aforesaid conveyors and the flap opening mechanism are driven by an electric motor 20 (FIG. 1) which is supported below the various conveyors on a part 22 of the machine frame structure. The shaft of the motor 21) has a variable speed pulley 24 secured thereto for connection by means of a belt with a speed changing unit 26 which is also supported below the various conveyors and adjacent to the motor. The variable speed unit 26 has a transversely extending shaft 28 connected by chain and sprocket means 30 with a main power take ofl? shaft 32 (FIG. 2) for the machine. A manually operable clutch mechanism, indicated generally at 34, permits disengagement of the said main drive shaft 32 from the chain and sprocket mechanism 30 so that the said main shaft can be manually turned as by means of a crank (not shown) to move or adjust all of the conveyors and the flap opening mechanism which are to be described.

The drive for the infeed conveyor 10 is transferred thereto from the main conveyor 14 which is driven from the power shaft 32 by means of a chain and sprocket unit 36 (FIG, 2). As shown, the main or flight bar conveyor 14 comprises a pair of parallel chains 38, 38 turning over a pair of sprockets 40, 40 mounted on a front shaft 42 and a pair of sprockets 44 44 mounted on a rear shaft 46. A chain and sprocket unit 48 connects the shaft 46 with a shaft 50 supporting the rear turn of the infeed conveyor 10, and a chain and sprocket unit 52 transmits the drive to a shaft 54 for the front turn of the said infeed conveyor. Thu-s, rotation of the shaft 54 drives the infeed conveyor, and as will be described, the said front shaft 54 can be pivoted about the rear shaft 50 so as to pivot the infeed conveyor,

The transfer conveyor 12 also takes its drive from the rear shaft 46 of the main or flight bar conveyor. That is, avchain and sprocket unit 56 interconnects the rear shaft 46 of the main conveyor with the front shaft 58 3 Further, the power shaft 32 provides the drive for the east and stop mechanism associated with the infeed conveyor- 10 as will now be described in more detail;

T he lrtfeed and T ransfer conveyor Mechanisms As will be understodd with refer nce is FIG.- 1, 4, na e, the infe' d conveyor comprises an endless belt tliming on the shafts 50 and 54 and extending longitudinally of theinachine. It is the purpose of the iiifeed coriv'eyor to advance a succession of cases in timed rlatiinship, the cases being supplied to the machine by a conventional driven conveyor 62. The cases leaving the conveybr 62 pass over a roller 64 onto the infeed con- Vey'or 10 at the rear end thereof. As has been mentibried, the shaft 54 and conveyor 10 are pivotable about the rear shaft 50.- More specifically, thefrorit shaft 54 for the conveyor 10 is supported in a frame structure 66 which at its rear end is pivotally supported on the shaft 50 so that the said conveyor can be pivoted between a lower and an upper position; In the lower position of the conveyor, an advancing case C will engage a transversely' disposed stop or detector bar 68 (FIG. 6) and be held thereby until the conveyor is pivoted upwardly to pass the ease C over the stop bar onto the transfer conveyor 12 in timed relationship to operation of the other elements of the machine.

As best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the transverse stlop bar 68 is secured to the ends of a pair of arms 70, 70 which are pivotally mounted at their lower ends on a shaft 72 which extends transversely below the conveyor 1t} and which is supported at its ends on brackets 74, 74 secured to upright frames 76, 76. A coil spring 78 on the shaft 72 biases the arms 70, 70 and thus the transverse stop bar 68 rearwardly. When an advancing case on the conveyor 10 engages the stop bar 68, its support arms 70, 78 are pivoted counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 from the full line position to the broken line position.

Such pivoting movement of the stop bar 63 causes clockwise pivoting movement of an arm 80 (FIG. 4) from the full line position to the broken line position shown. The arm 80 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the frame support 66 for the conveyor 1t} and it 1s connected intermediate its ends with the arms 71 '70 by an adjustable length slip linkage 82. By adjusting the said linkage, the spacing between the arms 71 70 and the arm "80 can be adjusted, but pivoting movement of the arm '80 with pivotal movement of the arms 70, 70 \IS effected by means of a spring connection indicated generally at 84.

When the arm 80 is pivoted counter-clockwise or forwardly to its broken line position in FIG. 4 (the full line position of FIG. 5), it is in position to be engaged at the bottom end by a cam follower bar 86 which is pivotally supported on the cross shaft 72 and which carries a follower roller 88 between its ends. The roller 88 is engaged by a earn 9%} mounted on a shaft 92 which is supported transversely by the upright frame members 76, 76. During each rotation of the cam shaft 92 and the cam 90, the cam follower arm 36 will be raised and lowered, and by means of the arm 80 it will raise and lower the conveyor frame 66 and the conveyor 16 between the positions shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The cam follower bar 86 is biased downwardly to insure continuous engagement between the roller 88 and the cam 90 by means of a coil spring 94 on the shaft 72.

The upward pivoting movement of the conveyor 10 to pass each case in the succession of cases over a roller 96 and onto the transfer conveyor 12 is effected in timed relationship with operation of the other conveyors.

and sprocket unit 1%2 connects the driven shaft 100 with the camshaft 92 4 I I w As willbe observed with reference to Pros.- 1 and 2, the transfer conveyor 12 is positioned with respect to the infeed conveyor 10 to receive each case in a succession of cases therefrom after they have passed over the roller 96 and to advance them in succession onto the rear erid er the longitudinally extending fixed plate s. Each case will rest momentarily on the said rear end of the plate 16 until it is en aged and advanced by the main flight bar conveyor 14 which will now be described.

The Main Conveyor and the Flap Opening Mecl zaiiisni As has been said, the main conveying means 14 cludes a pair of endless chains 38, 3' 8 entrained on pulleys pp rted on front and rear shafts a2, and 46, respectively. These longitudinally extending chainsare spaced apart transversely and at regularly spaced intervals there along they carry transversely extending flight bars 106, 106. The upper pass of the chains 38,- 38 is spaced above the plate 16 so that the flight bars 166, 106' thereon will engage the rear wall of each case at the rear end of the said plate to move it longitudinally forwardly along the plate; Thus, the succession of cases are advanced in evenly spaced relationship through the machine. The timed relationship between the various conveyors is such asto permit the infeed conveyor 19 and transfer conveyor 12 to place a case on the rear end of the plate 16 so that the case will rest there a brief period before it is engaged and advanced by a flight bar. In achieving this purpose, the infeed and transfer conveyOrs preferably advance the cases more rapidly than does the main flight bar conveyor 14. For example, the infeed and transfer conveyors may be operated at a lineal speed of 100 feet per minute while the flight bar conveyor 14 may be advanced at a lineal speed of 90 feet per minute.

The flap opening mechanism 18 which is supported on suitable frame members H38, 108 over the plate 16 and the main conveyor 14- is constructed and arranged to open the flaps of each case moving along the plate. As best shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 7, 8 and 9, the fiap opening mechanism 18 includes a carriage 110 having four pairs of upper and lower rollers 112, 112 movable along transversely spaced apart guide bars 114, 114 which are supported by the frame structure 108. This carriage is re ciprocable and it is driven in reciprocation to advance with each case from the rear end of the plate 16 until the flaps have been opened and then it is returned to the initial position to advance with the next succeeding case.

As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of angular arms 116, 116 are pivotally supported on brackets 118, 118 which are secured to and depend from the underside of the carriage 110. These arms are pivotally connected tothe brackets intermediate their ends and at their inner ends they carry a pair of suction cups or vacuum cups 120, 126 which are engageable with the side-hinged top flaps of the respective cases. the top flaps and are evacuated, they can lift the flaps upon pivoting movement of the arms 116, 116.

The actuating means pivoting or lifting the arms to open the flaps include a pair of rollers 122, 122 which are located on the outer ends of the respective arms to engage a pair of longitudinally extending guide bars or rails 124, 124- which functionas cam tracks. The cam rails 124, 124 are pivotally supported at the forward end on brackets 1'26, 126 which are secured to and depend from longitudinally extending frame members 128, 128. The vacuum cup arm rollers 122, 122 engage the under sides of the cam rails'124, 124 and are biased to such engagement by torsion springs which do not appear on the drawings. When the cam rails 124, 124 are pivoted downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8, and when the carriage That is, when the cups engage 110 is advanced with a case, the vacuum cup supporting arms 116, 116 will be pivoted during forward movement of the said carriage to lift the flaps.

The drive means reciprocating the said carriage is powered by the single drive motor 20. As previously mentioned, a chain and sprocket unit 68 extends from the power shaft 32 to operate the flap opening mechanism. The said chain and sprocket unit transfers motion to two other chain and sprocket unit 127 and 129, the latter being connected to a driven shaft 130 supported in a superstructure 132 over the carriage 1107 The chain and sprocket 134 extends from the shaft 130 to a transverse shaft 136 supported by the longitudinal frame members 128, 128. A pair of drive chains 138, 138 are entrained on pulleys supported on a front shaft 140 and the said shaft 136 so as to be driven thereby. An adjustable link 142 carried by each drive chain 138 is connected with the carriage 110 so that in movement of the continuous endless chains 138, 138 the said carriage is reciprocated forwardy and rearwardly.

The vacuum cup actuating means including the guide rails 124, 124 is also driven off the shaft 130. The said means further includes a cam shaft 144 which is connected to and driven from the shaft 130 by means of a chain and sprocket unit 146. The cam shaft 144 carries a pair of cams 148, 148 which engage cam followers 150, 150 at the top of vertical bars or plungers 152, 152 supported on the frame members 128, 128 and connected at their lower ends with the guide rails 124, 124, respectively. The free ends of the guide rails are connected with springs 154, 154 which are also connected to the superstructure 132 so as to bias the guide rails 124, 124 upwardly and so as to maintain the cam follower rollers 150, 150 in engagement with the cams 148, 148.

Thus, during one revolution of the cam shaft 144, the guide rails 124, 124 will be lowered and again elevated. It should be observed with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 that the right hand guide rail 124 is shaped somewhat differently from the left hand guide rail 124. That is, the right hand guide rail is so shaped that the pivoting of the right hand suction cup arm 116 is delayed until the left hand guide rail has raised the left hand flap of an advancing case. This is done so that the inturned edges of the flaps will clear each other during opening movement thereof. Further, the shaping of the guide rail members is such that after the initial opening movement of the left hand flap has been accomplished, the two flaps will continue to open more or less together. The cam 148 is so shaped that the guide rails 124, 124 will be fully lowered when the carriage 110 has reached the full extent of its advance or forward movement with a case. Further, the cam 148 is shaped so as to maintain the guide rails in the down position shown in FIG. 8 during return movement of the carriage 110. This pivots the suction cup arms upwardly so that the suction cups will clear the next case in line as the carriage is moved rearwardly thereover.

Obviously, the suction must be applied when the cups initiaily engage the case and this is accomplished by means of a second cam 156 on the cam shaft 144 which forms a part of the previously mentioned actuating means. The cam 156 engages a cam follower 158 on a valve structure indicated generally at 160 and which is connected with a vacuum pump (not shown) and with the vacuum cups 129, 120. When the cam follower 158 is engaged by the earn 156, the valve 166 is conditioned to evacuate the said cups and when the cam 156 does not engage the follower 158, the valve is conditioned to relieve the vacuum at the cups so that they can disengage the flaps. It will be observed with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 that the cam 156 will engage and move the follower 158 so as to effect vacuum at the cups when the cups initially engage the case and during the advance movement thereof. After advance movement of the carriage, the valve 160 is actuated so that the vacuum is discontinued prior to return movement of the carriage.

At about the time the carriage has completed its forward movement and when the vacuum at the fiap opening cups 120, has been relieved, the case flaps will be engaged by a pair of plow bars 162, 162 which will continue to open and spread the flaps during continuing advance of the cases from the plate 16 onto a takeaway conveyor 166. A roller 164 is disposed between the end of the said plate and the take-away conveyor 166 to move the advancing cases thereover.

The invention claimed is:

l. A case opening machine comprising conveying means for longitudinally advancing a succession of cases having side-hinged top opening flaps, a frame disposed over the conveying means, a carriage reciprocable longitudinally on the frame and which is driven to advance with each successive case, means movably mounted on the carriage and adapted to engage the case flaps for lifting the same, and means driven in timed relationship with movement of an advancing case to operate said movable means to engage and lift the case flaps during advance movement of the carriage and to disengage said movable means from the case flaps prior to and during return movement of the carriage.

2. A case opening machine comprising driven conveying means for longitudinally advancing a succession of of cases having side-hinged top opening flaps, a frame disposed over the conveying means, a carriage reciprocable longitudinally on the frame and which is driven to advance with each successive case, pivotal means mounted on the carriage and adapted to engage the case flaps to lift the same, and cam operated actuating means for pivoting said pivotal means to lift the flaps and for disengaging said pivotal means from the flaps, the said actuating means being driven in timed relationship with the conveying means whereby to lift the case flaps during advance movement of the carriage and to release the case flaps prior to return movement of the carriage.

3. A case opening machine comprising driven conveying means for longitudinally advancing a succession of cases having side-hinged top opening flaps, a frame disposed over the conveying means, a carriage reciprocable longitudinally on the frame and which is driven in timed relationship with the conveying means so as to advanw with each successive case, a pair of vacuum cups movably supported on the said carriage to engage the respective flaps of a case, means for selectively evacuating the cups and for releasing the vacuum so as to disengage the cups from the flaps, and actuating means for said evacuating means and for moving said cups, said actuating means being driven in timed relationship with said conveying means to engage and evacuate the cups and then to lift the flaps during advance movement of the carriage and then to release the vacuum and to disengage the cups prior to return movement of the carriage.

4. A case opening machine comprising driven conveying means for longitudinally advancing a succession of cases having side-hinged top opening flaps, a frame disposed over the conveying means, a carriage reciprocable longitudinally on the frame and which is driven in timed relationship with the conveying means so as to advance with each successive case, a pair of arms pivotally supported on the carriage and mounting vacuum cups engageable with the respective flaps of a case, valve means for selectively evacuating the cups and for relieving the vacuum therein so as to release the flaps, and actuating means for said arms and for said valve means comprising cam means driven in timed relationship with said conveying means and engageable with said valve means to operate the same, and a pair of guide rails movable by said cam means and engaging said arms during reciprocation of the carriage to pivot the same whereby to engage and evacuate the cups and then to lift the flaps during advance movement of the carriage and then to relieve the'vacuum and disengage the cups prior to return movement of the carriage.

5. A case opening machine as defined in claim 4 Wherein said guide rails are shaped so that one flap on each case is lifted ahead of the other.

6. The combination in a case opening machine comprising a drive means, an infeed conveyor driven thereby to advance a succession of cases longitudinally, a main conveyor connected With said drive means and adapted to longitudinally advance cases in evenly spaced apart relationship, means connected with said drive means for transferring the cases in sequence from said infeed conveyor to a position at rest for engagement and continued advance by said main conveyor, a frame disposed over said main conveyor, a carriage connected With said drive means and reciprocable longitudinally to advance with each successive case which is advanced by the main conveyor, means movably mounted on the carriage and adapted to engage the side-hinged top flaps of cases for lifting the same, and means connected with the drive means to operate said movable means to engage the flaps of each case at rest and then to lift the case flaps during advance movement of the carriage and to disengage said movable means from the flaps prior to return movement of the carriage.

7. The combination in a case opening machine comprising a drive means, an infeed conveyor driven thereby to advance a succession of cases longitudinally, a main conveyor connected with said drive means and adapted to engage and longitudinally advance cases in evenly spaced relationship, a longitudinal plate supported adjacent said main conveyor to hold cases being advanced thereby, means connected With said drive means for transferring the cases in sequence from said infeed conveyor'to a position at rest on said plate, a frame disposed over said main conveyor, a carriage connected With said drive means and reciprocable longitudinally to advance with each successive case which is advanced by the main conveyor, means moveably mounted on the carriage and adapted to engage the side-hinged top flaps of cases for lifting the same, and means connected with the drive means to operate said moveable means to engage the fiaps of each case at rest on the plate and then to lift the case flaps during advance movement of the carriage and to disengage said moveable means from the flaps prior to'return movement of the carriage.

8. The combination in a case opening machine comprising a drive means, an infeed conveyor driven thereby to advance a succession of cases longitudinally, a main conveyor connected with said drive means and adapted to engage and longitudinally advance cases in evenly spaced relationship, a longitudinal plate supported adjacent said main conveyor to hold cases being advanced thereby, means connected with said drive means for transferring the cases in sequence from said infeed conveyor to a position at rest on said plate, a frame disposed over said main conveyor, a carriage connected with said drive means and reciprocable longitudinally to advance with each successive case which is advanced by the main conveyor, pivotal means mounted on the carriage and adapted to engage the side-hinged top flaps of cases for lifting the same, and cam operated actuating means connected with said drive means for pivoting said pivotal means to lift the flaps and for disengagin" said pivotal means from the flaps, the said actuating means being adapted to engage the pivotal means with the flaps While the case is at rest on the plate and to pivot the pivotal means to lift the case flaps during advance movement of the carriage and to release the case flaps prior to return movement of the carriage.

9. The combination in a case opening machine comprising a drive means, an infeed conveyor driven thereby to advance a succession of cases longitudinally, a main conveyor connected with said drive means and adapted to engage and longitudinally advance cases in evenly spaced relationship, a longitudinal plate supported adjacent said main conveyor to hold cases being advanced thereby, means connected with said drive means for transferring the cases in sequence from said infeed conveyor to a position at rest on said plate, a frame disposed over said main conveyor, a carriage connected with said drive means and reciprocable longitudinally to advance with each successive case which is advanced by the main conveyor, a pair of vacuum cups moveably supported on the said carriage to engage the respective side-l1inged top flaps of cases, means for selectively evacuating the cups and for releasing the vacuumso as to disengage the cups from the flaps, and actuating means for said evacuating means and for moving said cups, said actuating means being connected with the drive means to engage and evacuate the cups and then to lift the flaps during advance movement of the carriage and then to relieve the vacuum and to disengage the cups prior to return movement of the carriage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CASE OPENING MACHINE COMPRISING CONVEYING MEANS FOR LONGITUDINALLY ADVANCING A SUCCESSION OF CASE HAVING SIDE-HINGED TOP OPENING FLAPS, A FRAME DISPOSED OVER THE CONVEYING MEANS, A CARRIAGE RECIPROCABLE LONGITUDINALLY ON THE FRAME AND WHICH IS DRIVEN TO ADVANCE WITH EACH SUCCESSIVE CASE, MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE CARRIAGE AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE CASE FLAPS FOR LIFTING THE SAME, AND MEANS DRIVEN IN TIMED RELATIONSHIP WITH MOVEMENT OF AN ADVANCING CASE TO OPERATE SAID MOVABLE MEANS TO ENGAGE AND LIFT THE CASE FLAPS DURING ADVANCE MOVEMENT OF THE CARRIAGE AND TO DISENGAGE SAID MOVABLE MEANS FROM THE CASE FLAPS PRIOR TO AND DURING RETURN MOVEMENT OF THE CARRIAGE. 